Flush valve



March 10, 1953 G. s. ARNOLD 2,630,831

FLUSH VALVE Filed NOV. 11, 1944 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 W'Ofl Og @oro 5: AeA/OLD,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

G. S. ARNOLD FLUSH VALVE March 10, 1953 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Nov. 1l, 1944 620V@ 5.' AeA/OLD, i INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a diierential valve; and more particularly to such a valve arranged to be controlled by a float in accordance with changes in a liquid level.

Float controlled valves are extensively used for maintaining an appropriate supply of water in tanks for various purposes, such for example, as flushing a water closet, and when used in connection with a water closet flush tank, are commonly termed ball cocks. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved valve for such use.

Differential type valves for such use are known, and generally include a closure member for closing the inlet, so arranged that the inlet pressure acts continuously on a reduced area of the member tending to unseat it and open the inlet, and means whereby such pressure acts in a controlled manner on a larger area to seat the closure member and maintain the valve closed. The iioat is arranged to cause release of such closing pressure when the liquid level falls below a predetermined height, thus causing the valve to open. When the liquid level rises to this predetermined height, the oat acts to cause the closing pressure to be built up, and close the valve.

Such valves often employ a flexible diaphragm for the closure member, or else the closure member is carried by a packed piston slidable in a cylinder. Either of these arrangements has certain disadvantages. Thus, a diaphragm when so used, becomes distorted and stretched, due to the action of the closing pressure over a large, poorly supported area of the diaphragm. This causes improper action of the' diaphragm as it moves between port opening and closing position, and 'may prevent improper closing of the port so that the valve leaks. The piston and cylinder construction is objectionably costly and requires 'considerable attention to prevent leakage past Vthe piston. It is thus another object of this invention to provide a differential valve which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which does not deteriorate with use and/ or require frequent attention.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a valve having an improved means for mounting the closure member.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a valve having improved means for controlling the extent of opening of the valve.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a valve capable of preventing reverse ilow of liquid through the valve vin the event of suction pressure in the supply line. In this way the siphoning of water from the flush tank is pre,-v vented without the necessity of providing a vac.- uum breaker.

It is still` another object of this invention to provide Such a valve incorporating a novel form of ow silencer.

This invention possesses many other adv an.k tages and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of'sev-fv eral embodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown two forms in the draw.-V4 ings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be de. scribed in detail, illustrating the general prin, ciples of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the inveng tion is best dened by the appended claims. Y

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a float controlled valve, incorporating the features of the invention, installed in a flush tank;

Figure 2 is substantially a longitudinal -axial section, on an enlarged scale, of the valve of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure of Figure 1;

lFigure 4 is a cross section taken on line 4.-. of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view Similarto Figure 2, but showing a modied form of the invention.

vReferring to Figure l of the drawings, the lvalve structure is shown as installed inv the usual manner in a conventional closet flush tank,

a fragment of the bottom of which is shown at I. For this purpose the body 2 of the valve structure is secured on the upper end of a tubular member 3 which is supported in a conventional itting 4. This tting 4 is secured to the ush tank bottom I by a nut 5, suitable washers 6 and 'I being provided to prevent leakage rfrom the tank past the tting 4.

As shown in Figure 2, the valve body 2 is hollow and generally cylindrical, being tapered at its lower end 8, and internally threaded at 9 for engagement with the upper threaded end 3-a of the tube 3. The tube -3 is provided with a -fiange S-b spaced from the upper end of the tube, so that when the body 2 is seated against the flange, the tube g3 extends a short distance into the body 2 providing a valve seat l0 andan inlet lport lil-a.

The lower portion of the interior of `the body 2 `surrounds the portion ofthe tube 3 which is within the body and forms a discharge space II for receiving liquid from the port Ill-a. An exteriorly threaded hollow boss I2 is formed on the body 2 and provides a discharge port I3 for passing liquid from the tube 3 to the flush tank when the valve is open. For this purpose an elbow I4 is shown as threaded on the boss I2, having `a downwardly directed tail pipe I5 threadedly secured to it. This serves to direct the discharge downwardly as well as placing it near the bottom I of the flush tank, thus avoiding splashing and reducing noise. An additional outlet I6 is provided in a second boss I1 and supplies water to a conventional refill Y tube I8 which discharges into the overflow pipe I9 of the tank (Figure l).

The body 2 includes a cap 20 secured to the body by a number of screws 2| passing through ears 22 on the cover 20 and threading into lugs 23` on the body 2. A closure member 25 of disc form is adapted to cooperate with the valve seat i0 to control the discharge of liquid from the inlet port ill-a and is of slightly smaller diameter than the inside of the body 2 so as to be freely slidable therein, the body 2 serving as a guide for the closure member. Suiiicient clearance is provided by a plurality of peripheral notches 25-a in the closure member 2 5 to guard against any dash pot effect as the member 25 moves in the body 2. The closure member 25 is secured to the lower end of a metallic bellows or Sylphon 26, the upper end of which is attached to the body 2 by means of an integral outwardly extending annular ange 29 which is clamped against an annular shoulder 3!) in the top of the body 2 by an annular rib 3I on the cover 20. A gasket 32 is interposed between the iiange 29 and the rib 3l to prevent leakage at this point. The cover 2| thus cooperates with the bellows 26 to form an expansible chamber 21 to which liquid is admitted by a small pressure port 33 extending through the closure member 25.

Liquid under pressure from the inlet Ill-a enters the chamber 21 through the port 33 where it acts on substantially the entire area of the upper side of the member 25 and urges the member toward the valve seat IIJ, maintaining it in position thereon, since the area of the inlet port I Ii-a on which the inlet pressure acts to unseat the member 25 is substantially less than the area on which the same pressure acts to maintain the member seated. Reduction of pressure in the chamber 21 allows the pressure in the inlet Ill-c to raise the member 25 from the seat I0 and open the valve in a well understood manner.

For this purpose a control port 35 is provided in the cover 20 leading from the chamber 21, this port 35 being substantially larger than the pressure port 33. The control port 35 is opened and closed in response to changes in the level of the liquid 3B. For this purpose a control arm 31 is pivotally mounted on a pin 38 secured ina bracket 39 formed on the cap 20. One end of the arm 31 extends over the port 35 and carries a resilient pad 40 adapted to cooperate with a valve seat 4I formed about the outer end of the port 35. The other end of the arm 31 has an extension 42 threaded therein, carrying the oat member 43 which floats in the liquid 36. When the level of the liquid 3B falls below a predetermined height, the resultant downward movement of the float member 43 swings the pad 4B upwardly to uncover the control port 35. This permits discharge of liquid from the chamber 21 and unseating of the closure member 25, allowing liquid to flow into the ush tank from the inlet tube 3. When the liquid level rises to the predetermined height, the pad 30 is moved downwardly to close the control port 35, causing pressure to build up in the chamber 21 and seating the closure member 25.

It is desirable to control the rate of flow from the inlet 3 to avoid excessive noise, and for this purpose adjustable means are provided to control the amount of opening of the inlet port i-a provided by the unseating of the closure 25. Thus, a tubular post 43 is provided, which extends axially of the chamber 21, and is secured adjacent its lower end, to the bottom 41 of the bellows 25 as by soldering. That portion of the tube 46 extending through the bottom 41 of the bellows is threaded at 49 for reception of the closure member 25. The lower end of the tube 46 is closed by a soft metal plug 50, through which the pressure port 33 extends.

The upper end of the tube 45 is closed by a rubber plug 5I, which forms an abutment for cooperating with an adjustable stop, comprising a screw 52 threaded through the cap 20, for limiting the lift of the closure 25 above the seat i2. Adjustment of the screw 52 serves to alter the amount of such lift in an obvious manner. In this way the amount yof liquid passed by the valve can be controlled; furthermore, excessive movement and possible rupture of the bellows 26 is prevented. The upper part of the bore accommodating the screw 52 is of enlarged diameter and threaded to accommodate a cap 53 which is provided wih packing 54 to prevent escape of liquid from the chamber 21. The tube 46 is ported intermediate its ends, as at 55, to permit liquid from the pressure port 33 to freely enter the chamber 21.

An important feature of the present valve structure is that the resilience of the metallic bellows 26 is such as to always urge the closure member 25 to seat. Thus, if the pressure in the supply line and the tube 3 drops below atmospheric pressure, water cannot be siphoned out of the tank since the port I -a is closed by' the member 25. Instead, any partial vacuum which may be formed in the tube 3 merely urges the closure member 25 more tightly against its seat I0. In this way the need for a conventional vacuum breaker is avoided.

Means for additionally regulating the discharge may be provided if desired. A valve for this purpose is indicated at 65 in Figure 5, and is shown as threaded on the boss I2 in place of the elbow Id. As shown in that figure the regulating device is positioned to discharge upwardly into the conduit 30, so that any solid matter which may accumulate in the valve does not restrict the flow of water.

Referring in detail to the device 65,11; comprises a T-shaped body 66 having an internally threaded boss 61 forming the inlet and adapted to be threaded on the boss I 2 of the valve body 2. One end, as 58, of the body 65 is threaded to receive the discharge conduit. A wall 59 extends across the body adjacent the end 58 and has a discharge port I0 therein surrounded by a conical valve seat 1I, which is inclined toward the discharge port. By having the valve seat 1I facing downwardly, any solids carried by the water do not lodge on the seat where they might hinder the discharge through the valve, but instead drop to the lower part of the body where they may accumulate without harm and be removed readily when necessary. A valve member 12 having a spherical head 13 cooperates with the seat 'H to control the discharge of liquid through the port 70, The valve member 12 is supported for movement toward and away from the seat B9 by a shank 'I4 having an enlarged portion 'l5 threadedly engaging the end 16 of the body 65. These threads are of rather ne pitch to permit ready adjustment of the head 13 with respect to the seat 1I by small increments. The valve member l2 is provided with a hexagon head 'I1 to facilitate adjustment of the discharge opening. A lock nut 'F8 may be provided if desired to maintain the valve member 12 in adjusted position.

I claim:

1. In a valve, a valve body having inlet and discharge ports, a closure movable to open and close said inlet port, a metal bellows having an end wall and secured to said body adjacent its opposite end to form a closed chamber, a tubular member extending axially of the bellows through said end wall and secured to said wall, means forming an abutment on the end of said member remote from said wall, means securing said closure on the opposite end of said member and adjacent said wall, whereby said closure and said bellows are maintained in assembled relation, stop means in said body cooperating with said abutment to limit movement of said closure in port opening direction, means whereby said tubular member maintains said chamber in continuous communication with said inlet port, and a control port for permitting fluid to discharge from said chamber to control movement of said closure.

2. In a valve, a valve body having inlet and discharge ports, a closure member guided for movement axially of the inlet port to open and close said inlet port, a metal bellows secured to said closure and cooperating with the body to form an eXpansible chamber, a tubular member secured to said closure and forming an abutment, adjustable stop means in said body cooperating with said abutment to limit movement of said closure in port opening direction, said bellows, said tubular member, and said stop means being in axial alignment with the inlet port, there being a port connecting the interior of said tubular member with the inlet port, the interior of the tubular member communicating with the interior of the bellows, a control port for discharging liquid from said chamber, and means controlling the discharge from said port.

GLOYD S. ARNOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date y 756,291 Schossow Apr. 5, 1964 802,330 Schulze Oct. 17, 1905 925,538 Weaver June 22, 1909 1,129,533 Williams Feb. 23, 1915 1,176,535 Fulton Mar. 21, 1916 1,508,398 Kelly Sept. 16, 1924 1,589,640 Gulick June 22, 1926 1,663,701 Hedges Mar. 27, 1928 1,676,084 Flagg July 3, 1928 2,114,853 Rosch Apr. 19, 1938 2,147,332 Cornelius Feb. 14, 1939 2,463,921 Titcomb Mar. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 595,853 Germany of 1934 652,782 Germany of 1937 

